Apparatus for cleaning a body of liquid and maintaining its level



Feb. 21, 1967 J GREEN ET AL APPARATUS FOR CLEANING A BODY OF LIQUID AND MAINTAINING ITS LEVEL Filed Oct. 4, 1965 36 b H ea-3555 53 3 29 I I 1 l (/0014 6/86/7, Jack l e/#7 4 7000} INVENTORS wHA'N/v a M; MANIGA L 14/r'orne1s for A J/camf M United States Patent 3,304,564 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING A BODY OF LIQUID AND ,MAINTAINHN G ITS LEVEL Jack Green, 585 Via Del Monte, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. 90274, and .laclr Henry Osgood, 7901 19th St., Westminster, Calif. 92633 Filed Oct. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 492,422 5 Claims. (Cl. 15-1.7)

The present invention relates generally to apparatus for removing foreign materials from surfaces submerged in a body of liquid, and is more particularly concerned with the removal of sediment, debris and the like from the bottoms of tanks, aquariums, ponds and other bodies of water.

It is one object of the herein described invention to provide cleaning apparatus for bodies of liquid, which is simple and economical to construct, free of moving parts, easy to connect and disconnect, and which will be automatic in its operation.

A further object is to provide apparatus for cleaning surfaces submerged in a body of water, and which will automatically maintain the water level in the body during the cleaning operation.

Still another object is to provide in apparatus of the character described, simple pumping means of the venturi type which may be attached to a house faucet or other suitable supply source and provide means for removing water from a tank or container while at the same time permitting a supply of fresh water thereto into which various types of desired chemical liquids as Well as other liquid additives may be injected.

Still another object is to provide as an article of manufacture an improved pumping means of the venturi type which may be utilized in connection with tanks, aquariums and other bodies of water for the removal of debris sediment and other foreign matter.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG.' 1 is an enlarged view in section of apparatus embodying the features of the present invention, and diagrammatically illustrating its use in connection with a body of water, in this case a tank of water; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view showing a modified arrangement for the injection of a chemical or additive liquid into the fluid being supplied to the tank, portions being cut away to show the location and operative relationship of certain parts.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative purposes, the invention will be described in con nection with its use for cleaning a tank of water, such as an aquarium, although in its broad concepts it is to be understood that the invention may be utilized for the removal of silt and debris from ponds, lakes and larger bodies of water.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention is shown as being comprised of a pumping mechanism as generally indicated at 10, and which is of the venturi type and thus devoid of any moving parts.

The pumping mechanism is constructed so as to provide an elongate tubular housing structure, in this case formed of two sections, a section 11a and a section 11b which are threadedly connected as indicated at 12 in end-to-end axially aligned relation. This housing may be constructed of any suitable material which may include various metals or plastics Which may be necessitated by various types of uses or installations.

The section 11a is externally threaded at one end as 3,304,564 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 indicated at 13 to provide a connection to facilitate faucet or a hose connection of the pumping mechanism to a Water supply source. The opposite end of section 11a is formed into a projecting nozzle 14 having an inner converging wall 15 for converting the entering water into a high velocity jet discharge through a cylindrical restricted opening 16.

The section 11b is formed at its connected end with a cylindrical inner wall portion 17 of substantially the same diameter as the inner wall portion 17' of the section 11a. The wall 17 is in spaced relation surrounding the projecting nozzle 14, and inwardly of the nozzle tip communicates with a truncated conical Wall section 18 which forms the mouth portion of a venturi tube and converges to a restricted throat 19 from which a relatively longer truncated conical wall section 20 diverges to form the venturi discharge leading to the discharge end of housing section 11b. This end is shown as being connected to an end ring which is fitted with a spider support 22 upon which there is mounted an impact dispersion disc 23 for slowing down the discharge velocity of the water leaving the pumping mechanism.

The section 11a in the portion containing the cylindrical inner wall 17' is provided with a conduit connection 24, while the section 11b in the portion containing the cylindrical inner wall 17 is provided with one or more conduit connections, in this instance being provided with two conduit connections as indicated at 25 and 26.

As thus constructed, it will be appreciated that when a water supply from a sink faucet, hose or other means is connected with the upper end of the section 11a, a positive pressure will be established at the conduit connection 24. The water issuing from the nozzle 14 will be emitted at increased velocity, and as this stream spreads out as it approaches the throat 19, a suction Will be created in the mouth portion of the venturi and in the conduit connections 25 and 26. The stream flowing from the throat through the truncated conical wall section 20 will have its velocity gradually decreased as the section area increases. At the discharge end the stream will be further dispersed and slowed down due to its impact against the disc 23.

Utilization of the venturi pumping mechanism will now be described. Although use of the device is not limited to tanks, aquariums, etc., for simplicity the pumping mechanism will be described as utilized for a tank 27 which has a submerged bottom surface 28 and confines a body of liquid 29 therein with a surface level as indicated at 30.

The pumping means is connected foruse byextending the conduit 24 so that its lowermost end will be submerged in the body of water adjacent the bottom surface 28, in which position the positive pressure discharge of the fluid from the conduit will loosen the foreign material on the surface and stir it up so that the adjacently positioned suction connection 26 can remove liquid from the tank together with the displaced foreign material and discharge it into the mouth of the venturi where it will be carried off as waste from the pumping means.

It will be appreciated that as liquid is removedfrom the tank through the conduit 26, this liquid will be replaced by the positive pressure of liquid supplied through the conduit 24.

Under normal circumstances this supply will be less than the amount of liquid removed from the tank. As a consequence there will be a decrease in liquid level 30. The liquid level is automatic-ally maintained at a desired level by extending the conduit connection 25 into the tank so that its end will be at the desired height of liquid level to be maintained. Thus, as the liquid level drops below the end of conduit 25, suction is reduced due to the introduction of air into venturi section 18. The level will cease falling and will stabilize automatically at the desired height when the air gap between the end 3 of conduit 25 and the surface at liquid level 30 is such that liquid removal (by suction) through the conduit 26 equals the liquid replacement rate from conduit 24. Furthermore, in extraordinary circumstances where the replacement supply through conduit 24 is greater than the suction removal rate, the imbalance will be stabilized because conduit 25 will automatically serve to remove liquid by suction in complement to the conduit 26.

On the other hand, it may be desirable to simply utilize the pumping means for removing liquid from the tank which is replaced by a proper flow of fresh liquid so as to maintain circulation through the tank of liquid.

The automatic level control permits the simple control of circulation rate by adjustment of the venturi service supply at the connection 13. For example, the sink or other faucet valve utilized would be sufiicient.

At other times it may be found desirable to inject chemical liquids or fluids into the tank liquid for various reasons and purposes. This is effectively accomplished in the apparatus of the present invention by providing an arrangement shown in FIG. 2 in which a tube 31 is supported on the conduit 24 so that a connected nozzle 32 will be positioned with its discharge end opening in a downstream direction. Flow through the conduit 24 will induce suction flow in the tube 31, and by connecting this tube with a container 33 for the liquid to be injected, the injection will be accomplished automatically. Other means of injecting chemicals or fluids into the tank liquid may comprise the use of manual or automatic squeeze bottles inserted in conduit 24 or by partial diversion of the liquid stream in conduit 24 into a chamber containing pelletized or liquid aliquots of the chemical (detergent, cleanser, coloration agent, frother, emulsifier, collector, purifier, additive, etc.).

From the foregoing description and drawings, it will be clearly evident that the delineated objects of the invention will be accomplished.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention, and, hence, we do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for removing foreign material from a submerged surface in a body of liquid, comprising:

(a) liquid pumping means having a positive pressure outlet connection and a suction inlet connection;

(b) means including a conduit connected with said outlet and having its discharge end positioned for discharging pressurized liquid towards the submerged surface to dislodge the foreign material;

(c) means for injecting a fluid medium into the fiow from said positive pressure outlet; and

(d) means including a conduit connected with said inlet and having its inlet end submerged in said body of liquid for collecting the dislodged foreign mate rial therein.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the injecting means includes a conduit having a nozzle at one end positioned to discharge in a downstream direction in the flow from said positive pressure outlet, the other end of said injecting means conduit being immersed in a supply source of said fluid medium.

3. Apparatus for removing foreign material from a submerged surf-ace in a body of liquid and maintaining the liquid level thereof, comprising:

(a) venturi pumping means having a liquid supply connection, a positive pressure outlet connection and a plurality of suction inlet connections; (b) means including a conduit connected with said outlet and having its discharge end submerged in said body of liquid for discharging pressurized liquid therein;

(c) means including a conduit connected with one of said inlets and having its inlet end positioned adjacent the discharge end of said first conduit for collecting liquid having the dislodged foreign material therein; and

(d) means including a conduit connected with another of said inlets and having its inlet positioned at the liquid level to be maintained for said body.

4. Apparatus for continuously removing liquid from a body of liquid and supplying fresh liquid thereto, comprising:

(a) venturi pumping means having an inlet connectable with a liquid supply source, a positive pressure outlet connection at said inlet, and a suction inlet connection;

(b) means including a first conduit connected with said positive pressure outlet and having its discharge end submerged in said body of liquid and directed in a direction for discharging pressurized liquid against a surface to dislodge foreign material thereon; and

(c) means including a conduit connected with said suction inlet connection and having its inlet end adjacent the discharge end of said first conduit for collecting liquid and dislodged foreign material there- 5. In apparatus of the character described, liquid pumping means, comprising:

(a) an elongate housing including an inlet tubular section and an outlet tubular section separably connected in end-to-end axial alignment;

(b) a venturi tube formed by the wall of said outlet section including an upstream mouth portion converging towards a restricted throat portion, and a downstream discharge portion diverging away from said throat portion towards the non-connected end of the outlet section, said mouth portion having an upstream end in communication with a cylindrical wall portion at the connected end of the outlet section;

(0) a nozzle carried by said inlet section at its connected end, said nozzle having a projecting reduced end for discharging into the venturi mouth portion adjacent to said throat portion;

((1) a positive pressure outlet connection on the inlet section upstream of said nozzle; and

(e) at least one inlet suction connection at the connected end of the outlet section, in communication with said venturi mouth portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/ 1926 Ackerman.

3/ 1962 Ross 103-262 2/ 1963 Blumenfeld.

FOREIGN PATENTS P6206v/37f 4/1956 Germany.

969,847 9/1964 Great Britain. 

1. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM A SUBMERGED SURFACE IN A BODY OF LIQUID, COMPRISING: (A) LIQUID PUMPING MEANS HAVING A POSITIVE PRESSURE OUTLET CONNECTION AND A SUCTION INLET CONNECTION; (B) MEANS INCLUDING A CONDUIT CONNECTED WITH SAID OUTLET AND HAVING ITS DISCHARGE END POSITIONED FOR DISCHARGING PRESSURIZED LIQUID TOWARDS THE SUBMERGED SURFACE TO DISLOGE THE FOREIGN MATERIAL; (C) MEANS FOR INJECTING A FLUID MEDIUM INTO THE FLOW FROM SAID POSITIVE PRESSURE OUTLET; AND (D) MEANS INCLUDING A CONDUIT CONNECTED WITH SAID INLET AND HAVING ITS INLET END SUBMERGED IN SAID BODY 